P323: Successes and pitfalls of developing the chemistry undergraduate research program at UW-Madison

Cheri Barta (University of Wisconsin – Madison, USA)

Madison Initiative for Undergraduates (MIU) is a dynamic, campus-wide effort established in 2009 to enhance the quality of undergraduate education at UW-Madison. The MIU funds, generated through a supplemental tuition charge, have been used across campus for such initiatives as hiring additional faculty to teach undergraduate courses, to encourage creative undergraduate curriculum development, and to increase the amount of need-based financial aid. In 2010, the chemistry department was awarded MIU funds in-part to expand research opportunities for undergraduates. These funds have been used to hire a chemistry undergraduate research coordinator who has been overseeing the undergraduate research activities of the department for the past two years. An overview of the successes and pitfalls of the programs developed by the research coordinator, including the development of a new research course and various initiatives to encourage students to partake in intensive undergraduate research projects, will be discussed.